How do I unlock and delete unwanted time machine backups?

I have unwanted backup files from Time machine in Trash and want to delete them but cannot because they are locked?
How do I unlock them?

See > http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/trash.html#Anchor-Locked-48213
If you want to delete backups, see > http://pondini.org/TM/12.html

Similar Messages

  • HT201250 Mac OS 10.6 - How to restore OS and Data from Time Machine Backup

    my exisitng iMac have a defective hard drive that i need to be replace. how do i restore the OS and data to the new hard disk? i have Time Machine backup from the previous hard disk. (note: the OS is 10.6, and i do not have the install disk)

    cindy1023 wrote:
    i had a hacker get in my computer, got all my info used my name and passwords to convert safari into windows on another computer? and APPLE IS THE ONE GAVE HER THE PASSWORD.
    There is no way to "convert" Safari into Windows.   And very unlikely for a hacker to get into a Mac. 
    But, ok, your system is all messed-up somehow.
    First, what version of OSX is on your Mac?  If you don't know, click the Apple icon at the upper-left of the screen and select About This Mac.  You'll see a display like this:
    We need the Version number.
    Second question: do you have backups made with Time Machine (on an external HD or the like) that you want to restore, or do you want to start your Mac over fresh, the way it came from the factory?
    p.s. i dont have the disc it came with , my daughter set it up for me to get started !
    You may need that, depending on what version of OSX you're running, to restore the backups or start fresh.
    You really should have a copy of the original disc, as there's an Apple Hardware Test on it, tailored to the hardware on that Mac. You'll need it it there's ever a problem.  If your daughter can't send it,  call AppleCare (800-275-2273),and  give them your serial number -- they can send you a replacement for a nominal fee.
    Sorry, but it's late here, and I'm going to bed, but will be back tomorrow.

  • How to reinstall Mail and itunes from Time Machine backup

    My Mac Pro is running slow and AppleCare have advised to do a clean install of 10.6.6
    All my files are backed up and I have done a TM backup. I want to be able to reinstall Apple Mail with all my family email and business email accounts & emails in it and also iTunes with all music and podcasts.
    Is there any way I can do this directly from a back up of Time Machine without having to reinstall the whole thing once my machine has had a clean install.
    Thanks in advance
    Matt

    First, reinstall OS X as you've been instructed to do. Upon completion of the installation Startup Assistant will give you the option to restore from a TM backup or other external drive. Restore your Home folder, Applications, support files, and network preferences which should return all your files.
    If you restore your old system entirely then you will have what you now have - a slow running system.
    But before you perform all of the above what you might try first are these:
    A. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
    Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer. Now restart normally.
    If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
    B. Kappy's Personal Suggestions for OS X Maintenance
    For disk repairs use Disk Utility. For situations DU cannot handle the best third-party utilities are: Disk Warrior; DW only fixes problems with the disk directory, but most disk problems are caused by directory corruption; Disk Warrior 4.x is now Intel Mac compatible. TechTool Pro provides additional repair options including file repair and recovery, system diagnostics, and disk defragmentation. TechTool Pro 4.5.1 or higher are Intel Mac compatible; Drive Genius is similar to TechTool Pro in terms of the various repair services provided. Versions 1.5.1 or later are Intel Mac compatible.
    OS X performs certain maintenance functions that are scheduled to occur on a daily, weekly, or monthly period. The maintenance scripts run in the early AM only if the computer is turned on 24/7 (no sleep.) If this isn't the case, then an excellent solution is to download and install a shareware utility such as Macaroni, JAW PseudoAnacron, or Anacron that will automate the maintenance activity regardless of whether the computer is turned off or asleep. Dependence upon third-party utilities to run the periodic maintenance scripts had been significantly reduced in Tiger and Leopard. These utilities have limited or no functionality with Snow Leopard and should not be installed.
    OS X automatically defrags files less than 20 MBs in size, so unless you have a disk full of very large files there's little need for defragmenting the hard drive. As for virus protection there are few if any such animals affecting OS X. You can protect the computer easily using the freeware Open Source virus protection software ClamXAV. Personally I would avoid most commercial anti-virus software because of their potential for causing problems.
    I would also recommend downloading the shareware utility TinkerTool System that you can use for periodic maintenance such as removing old logfiles and archives, clearing caches, etc. Other utilities are also available such as Onyx, Leopard Cache Cleaner, CockTail, and Xupport, for example.
    For emergency repairs install the freeware utility Applejack. If you cannot start up in OS X, you may be able to start in single-user mode from which you can run Applejack to do a whole set of repair and maintenance routines from the commandline. Note that AppleJack 1.5 is required for Leopard. AppleJack 1.6 is compatible with Snow Leopard.
    When you install any new system software or updates be sure to repair the hard drive and permissions beforehand. I also recommend booting into safe mode before doing system software updates.
    Get an external Firewire drive at least equal in size to the internal hard drive and make (and maintain) a bootable clone/backup. You can make a bootable clone using the Restore option of Disk Utility. You can also make and maintain clones with good backup software. My personal recommendations are (order is not significant):
    Backuplist
    Carbon Copy Cloner
    Data Backup
    Deja Vu
    iBackup
    JaBack
    Silver Keeper
    MimMac
    Retrospect
    Super Flexible File Synchronizer
    ynchronizer
    SuperDuper!
    Synchronize Pro! X
    SyncTwoFolders
    Synk Pro
    Synk Standard
    Tri-Backup
    Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQs on maintenance, optimization, virus protection, and backup and restore.
    Additional suggestions will be found in Mac Maintenance Quick Assist.
    Referenced software can be found at CNet Downloads or MacUpdate.

  • I am trying to delete a Time Machine backup from a Time Capsule.

    I am trying to delete a Time Machine backup from a Time Capsule.  The file is about 400GB and my MacBook has been trying to delete it for 5h now. It still says "deleting" but has not given me a "time remaining" yet. Any idea of what I could do????

    You should not attempt to delete backups using the Finder. The result can be a corrupted backup.
    I recommend you let it complete, no matter how long it takes. That could be days, if your TC is connected via wireless.
    It is not necessary to delete backups, since Time Machine will delete old backups some time after they have been deleted from your source volume. For more information read Apple Support Communities contributor Pondini's explanation here: Should I delete old backups? If so, How?

  • I accidentally deleted my time machine backup

    I accidentally deleted my time machine backup file (I only had made one). Can anyone tell me how do I recover it? I don´t see it in my time machine travel window

    Data Recovery from time machine is something tough job even the best data recovery software can not do so because the complex structue in time machine is not understood by any data recovery software which Apple uses. Time Machine puts your backup in a sparse bundle disk image (backups.backupdb). However you can try some data recovery software which may recover someting from your trash. There are software having demo version which can show you the recovered files on preview if you found any of your important file then there is a good chance to recover your data and your good Luck..REMEMBER FIRST TRY THEN BUY

  • How do I create more space on Time Machine backup disk?

    How do I create more space on Time Machine backup disk?

    since time machine in Snow Leopard stops backing up when there's no more space on the disk,
    That is has not been my experience, and does not appear to be agree with this Time Machine documentation:
    Backup drive fills up
    As your backup drive begins to fill up to its capacity, Time Machine intelligently deletes the oldest backups to make room for newer ones (and will alert you if the "Notify after old backups are deleted" option is selected in Time Machine preferences).
    from : Mac 101: Time Machine

  • I am out of space on my Macbook Air and have a Time Machine Backup. I want to complete reset my mac, but wonder if I can pick and choose what I restore to my computer? Can I also use my time machine backup and external storage as well?

    I am out of space on my Macbook Air and have a Time Machine Backup. I want to complete reset my mac, but wonder if I can pick and choose what I restore to my computer? Can I also use my time machine backup as external storage as well for the files I don't need everyday?

    If you are using "Restore from Time Machine Backup" option from OS X Recovery, you can only choose from the broad categories presented.
    ... Can I also use my time machine backup as external storage as well for the files I don't need everyday?
    To be clear, if you are asking if you can use the volume containing your Time Machine backup to store additional, non-Time Machine files, the short answer is yes.
    It's not a good idea though, since the Time Machine backup will eventually fill all available space, after which it begins to remove old, "expired" backups to make room for newer ones. The presence of additional files doesn't change that fact, and Time Machine will not erase them, but you will encounter a dilemma should you want to store additional files on that volume when there is no remaining space. You will have to make room for them on your own, by deleting existing files. Furthermore, since Time Machine cannot back up its own volume, those additional files will not be backed up by Time Machine.
    The easy solution for what you describe is to purchase additional external storage. External USB hard disk drives have become very inexpensive; about $55 will buy a perfectly suitable 1 TB drive.
    You can also choose to replace your MacBook Air's internal storage with a larger capacity one. Look for a suitable replacement from OWC / MacSales:
    http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Air-Retina
    That gets a little more expensive but it is the optimum solution.

  • Can't Completely Delete a Time Machine Backup

    How do I completely delete a Time Machine Backup? In Snow Lepord I had no problem with deleting a Time Machine Backup. I back up my HHD on a external HHD. Since using Time Machine with Lion the back ups are not being fully deleted. My trash can each time I connect my external HHD is displaying deleted files. When I go to delete from trash I am told there are locked items. So I select the option to delete locked items, hear the deleted trash can sound but the trash can still indicates the files haven't been perminetly deleted yet. What is my problem here?

    hopesdead wrote:
    None of that worked. I used the Terminal method. No good.
    What does "no good" mean?  What happened, or didn't happen?  That should empty the trash on the disk. As mentioned, it may take a long time, if there's lots of files there.
    Repairing will be no good to be cause my external HD contains everything on one partition. The backups are not on there own partition like that site assumes. Repairing did no good.
    Do you mean you didn't try it?  If so, try it.  It may or may not be able to repair them, but it's worth a try.

  • How do I empty my Trash of Time Machine backups?

    How do I empty my Trash from Time Machine Backups? I manually moved them there trying to delete them but the Trash will not empty.

    Hi,
    These Links may be of Assistance to your Issue...
    See Here
    http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/E6.html
    From Here
    http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/Troubleshooting.html

  • I just installed a larger hard drive, and used my Time Machine Backup to transfer my info back to the new hard drive. When I open Iphoto, my thumnails are there, but they aren't linked back to the actual photos.I see the photos in my HD. What should I do

    I just installed a larger hard drive, and used my Time Machine Backup to transfer my files back to the new hard drive. When I open Iphoto, my thumbnails are there, but they aren't linked back to the actual photos. I see the original photo files in my HD. Is there a way to link the Iphoto thumbnails back to the original files?

    Use the Firewire cable and t boot the old Mac's hard drive to the new Mac's desktop and transfer your entire iPhoto folder.
    Use Disk Utiliy to erase'format HFS+ Journaled your TimeMachine drive and use the free Carbon Copy Cloner and clone your new boot drive to the external, it's hold option bootable.

  • I have had to reinstall my Mavericks OS and use a Time Machine backup. Now when I open InDesign I get Error:5 , AMT subsystem failure. Do you know a fix for this?

    I have had to reinstall my Mavericks OS and use a Time Machine backup. Now when I open InDesign I get Error:5 , AMT subsystem failure. Does anyone have a fix for this?

    I have had to reinstall my Mavericks OS and use a Time Machine backup. Now when I open InDesign I get Error:5 , AMT subsystem failure. Does anyone have a fix for this?

  • If i upgrade from 10.6.8 to Mountain Lion and do a Time-Machine-Backup, is it possible to restore my mac on Mountain Lion?

    If i upgrade from 10.6.8 to Mountain Lion and do a Time-Machine-Backup before, is it possible to restore my mac on Mountain Lion with this Backup made on Snow Leopard?
    Thx guyz

    You don't need to restore anything.
    Just upgrade.  That replaces Snow Leopard with Mountain Lion, without disturbing anything else.
    But by all means, always keep up-to-date backups, in case something goes wrong.

  • How can I delete a Time Machine backup which did not complete?

    I was running a Time Machine backup when the disc got unmounted. Therefore I know all of the data is not backed up.
    I would like to delete that entry and rerun "Back Up Now" to start over.
    I tried deleting the folder with the latest time stamp on the drive and ran "Back Up Now". There was a very small amount of data that it then backed up.
    Obviously there is a large gap in manually managing this process and I would like to know the best fix.
    Thanks in advance.

    Please triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:
    tmutil compare | open -ef
    Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C.
    Launch the built-in Terminal application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
    Paste into the Terminal window by pressing the key combination command-V. I've tested these instructions only with the Safari web browser. If you use another browser, you may have to press the return key after pasting.
    Wait for a new line ending in a dollar sign (“$”) to appear below what you entered.
    A TextEdit window will open with the output of the command. Each line that begins with a plus sign (“+”) represents a file that has been added to the source volume since the last snapshot was taken. These files have not been backed up yet.
    Each line that begins with an exclamation point (“!”) represents a file that has changed on the source volume. These files have been backed up, but not in their present state.
    Each line that begins with a minus sign (“-“) represents a file that has been removed from the source volume.
    Files that you’ve excluded from backup, or that are excluded automatically, are ignored.
    At the end of the output, you’ll get some lines like the following:
    Added:
    Removed:
    Changed:
    These lines show the total amount of data added, removed, or changed on the source(s) since the last snapshot.
    Caution: Under some conditions, tmutil may falsely flag files as not having been backed up when in fact they have been. It can be confused by multi-linked files, or by files with a modification date earlier than the one in the snapshot. This will not be an issue for most users. If the results of the above procedure surprise you, inspect your snapshots directly.

  • Deleted a time machine backup and space hasn't freed up

    I'm having a n issue where I have deleted my entire time machine backup from an external G-Drive and the space hasn't free from the drive.  It is a 2tb drive and the backup was somewhere in the 700gb range.  I have about 890gb in other files and remaining space of about 63gb.  The drive was connected through my Airport Extreme and have not been able to see it in the trash so I can't empty it.  I've also tried re connecting the drive back to my iMac and trash can still appears empty and the remaining space is still at 63gb.  I am using latest version of OS X Yosemite on a late '12 iMac.  Let me know if I missed anything that you need and thanks in advance for your help

    Your problem is more likely to be Yosemite.. get another computer running any other OS so you can actually see the sparsebundle.. you have deleted the files inside the container but you haven't thrown the container away.. Yosemite has huge permissions issues with files on external or network drives.. or perhaps that is too specific.. Yosemite has huge issues!!
    If you have earlier OS or even a windows computer (you would have to share the drive to the network).. and try and delete from there.. Use something other than Yosemite. Otherwise you will need to offload the files and format and then copy the files back.

  • How to recover Mountain Lion iMessages from Time Machine backup?

    Today, I sent messages to someone using iMessage on my iPod touch and it said "delivered" on the last one.
    But when I woke up my laptop and opened Messages, the latest messages were the ones I sent yesterday, not the ones I sent today.
    So I went in ~/Library/and deleted the Messages folder to try to reset the iMessage database so it would re-sync with Apple's servers but it didn't work.
    I have my Time Machine backups that have my intact Messages folder stored but when I put the original back in its place, the messages still aren't there and when I click on a conversation, the conversation goes down the list and is empty.
    I'd now like to simply recover my iMessage conversations (I don't care about what's in Jabber or whatever), does anyone know how I could do that?
    Thanks!

    I resetted my PRAM and now it works...

Maybe you are looking for

  • Can't access files from one account to another on same Mac

    I've got a new macbook and I've divided it into two accounts. One account has all my iTunes music but the other is a fresh iTunes with no music. I've been trying to get access to the music from the other account. It seems like it should be easy as it

  • Imac freezes in sleep mode

    Ever since installing Lion my Imac freezes when in sleep mode. Has anyone had the same problem and been able to fix it

  • Active and inactive vendor

    Hi Guys can any one explain what is active and inactive vendor and how to see the list of vendor master. G.Krishnamohan

  • T3 change date and year and time

    How do I change the date and time and year on a T3?

  • Financial Reports Substitution variable

    Hi All, I have a requirement where we need to calculate last 3 months Average workdays(Workdays= workdays in a month ex:Apr=21....). Some other calc's use this data We tried to push it to essbase by creating substitution variable threemthsAvg = 21...